[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
[December 17, 1999]
[Pages 2310-2312]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]
Statement on Signing the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement
Act of 1999
December 17, 1999
Today I am pleased to sign into law H.R. 1180, the ``Ticket to Work
and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999.'' This landmark legislation
will remove barriers that have placed many individuals with disabilities
in the untenable position of choosing between health care coverage and
work. It also improves and expands vocational rehabilitation and
employment service options for this talented, but as yet not fully
tapped, workforce.
This new law represents one of the most important legislative
advances for people with disabilities since the enactment of the
Americans with Disabilities Act. I have urged its passage for 2 years
and was proud to include full funding for it in my FY 2000 Budget. The
enactment of this law well illustrates what we can accomplish when we
work together on a bipartisan basis to expand employment opportunities
and affordable health-care options.
The Act will ensure that individuals with disabilities have a
greater opportunity to participate in the workforce and in the American
Dream. It offers new ways for the Federal Government to partner with the
States and the private sector to help people with disabilities to work
and to keep their health care coverage. Most significantly, H.R. 1180:
Expands States' ability to provide a Medicaid ``buy-in'' to
individuals with disabilities who return to work.
Creates a new Medicaid demonstration to assess the
effectiveness of providing Medicaid coverage to people whose
condition has not yet deteriorated enough to prevent work,
but who need health care to prevent or forestall that level
of deterioration. This provision will allow States to help
those individuals with diseases such as muscular dystrophy,
Parkinson's Disease, diabetes, and HIV.
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Lengthens from 4 years to 8-\1/2\ years the period for which
Social Security disability beneficiaries who return to work
can continue to receive reduced-cost Medicare coverage.
Provides grants to States to design and administer
infrastructures to provide services that support working
individuals with disabilities.
Provides Social Security disability beneficiaries a choice
of providers for employment-related services.
Authorizes the Social Security Administration to test new
and innovative ways to enable individuals with disabilities
to return to work and make economic independence a reality.
Enables individuals with disabilities to reestablish
eligibility for Social Security disability benefits on an
expedited basis if their attempts to return to work prove to
be unsuccessful. These individuals will be able to request
reinstatement of benefits without having to file a new
disability benefits application--thereby reducing the risk
of returning to work.
These provisions give people who want to work a chance to do so by
ensuring access to health care insurance and modernizing the employment
services system for people with disabilities. Together, these provisions
affirm the basic principle manifested in the Americans with Disabilities
Act: that all Americans should have the same opportunity to be
productive citizens.
The Act also contains several provisions to extend expiring tax
laws. These provisions continue incentives for the advancement of
several national priorities and reaffirm our commitment to help American
families and businesses. Most importantly, the bill extends the research
and experimentation tax credit for 5 years, encouraging companies to
undertake new multi-year research activities. This crucial tax credit
will help innovative American companies build on my Administration's
impressive economic achievements and will lead to new products and
technologies to improve people's lives. In addition, H.R. 1180 extends
for 3 years the provision that allows America's middle-income taxpayers
full use of important personal tax credits--such as the child credit,
the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning credits, and the child and
dependent care credits--without limitation by the alternative minimum
tax. This also will allow tens of millions more taxpayers to forgo
performing complex calculations.
The Act extends a provision that will help improve school facilities
in low-income communities by providing no-interest loans to school
districts in needy areas for rehabilitation and repairs, educational
equipment, curriculum development, and teacher training.
The Act will provide more economic opportunity to Puerto Rico by
extending application of the research and experimentation tax credit to
such activity undertaken in Puerto Rico, as I proposed. In response to
another of my proposals, H.R. 1180 also will provide a greater transfer
of excise tax revenue on rum not made in the States to Puerto Rico and
the Virgin Islands for 2-\1/2\ years to provide aid that the islands
urgently need.
Furthermore, H.R. 1180 extends through 2001 critical tax provisions
to:
Encourage employers to pay for their workers' continuing
education.
Help disadvantaged people, including welfare recipients,
find jobs.
Encourage businesses to clean up polluted ``brownfields''.
Stimulate low- and no-emission production of power.
Assist first-time home buyers in purchasing a home in the
District of Columbia.
It is unfortunate, however, that the revenue losses resulting from
these provisions were not fully offset.
I am pleased that H.R. 1180 will do much to improve the lives of
people with disabilities and will extend important tax provisions. I am
deeply disappointed, however, that the bill includes a provision for a
special allowance adjustment for student loans. This provision will
expose the Federal Government, rather than lenders, to substantial
financial risk due to the difference between Treasury and commercial
paper borrowing rates, and will provide unnecessary and costly new
benefits to the student loan industry with no benefit whatsoever to
students.
My Administration has a deep and long-standing commitment to promote
and increase the independence of individuals with disabilities. I would
like to thank each individual who has been involved in the challenging
work of developing this landmark legislation. Special thanks should be
given to the congressional leaders,
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who have contributed so much to the passage of H.R. 1180, particularly
Senators Jeffords, Kennedy, Roth, and
Moynihan, as well as Representatives
Dingell, Archer,
Rangel, Stark, Waxman, Thomas, Matsui,
Bliley, Shaw,
Bilirakis, Nancy Johnson, Cardin, Sherrod
Brown, and Lazio. I
also want to acknowledge the efforts of Alexis Herman, Secretary of
Labor; Kenneth S. Apfel, Commissioner of Social Security; and Donna
Shalala, Secretary of Health and Human
Services; as well as Tony Coelho and other
members of my Task Force on Employment of Adults with Disabilities.
These individuals, as well as many others throughout my Administration,
worked tirelessly to bring this legislation forward.
Many individuals with disabilities want to work and become
independent, and many can work if they receive the critical support they
need. For too long, the fear of losing health and cash benefits and the
inability to obtain rehabilitation and employment services has prevented
such individuals' work efforts. As a Nation, we are best served when all
our citizens have the opportunity to contribute their talents, energy,
and ideas to the workplace. I am pleased to sign into law today this
important step to empower more Americans with disabilities to take their
rightful places in our Nation's workforce.
William J. Clinton
The White House,
December 17, 1999.
Note: H.R. 1180, approved December 17, was assigned Public Law No. 106-
170.